US senators oppose China’s nomination for WIPO head
Four US senators have expressed their concerns about China’s bid to lead the World Intellectual Property Organization ( WIPO), claiming that it will pose a threat to the integrity of international IP standards and US economic security.
In a letter addressed to President Trump on Monday, December 16, the bipartisan group urged that given China’s “persistent violations of IP protections”, the US and its allies must stand firmly against such a move.
These violations include trade secret theft, corporate espionage and forced transfer of technology, the letter said. It was signed by Tom Cotton, Charles Schumer, Mike Gallagher and Jimmy Panetta.
On November 12, China submitted a letter to WIPO, nominating Wang Binyang for the position of director-general at the organisation.
Binyang has been serving as the deputy director general, overseeing trademarks, designs and Gls since 2009.
The term of office of the current director general, Francis Gurry, will expire on September 30, 2020.
In their letter, the US senators also took issue with what they described as the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) strategic investment in developing critical and emerging technologies.
They said that as part of this strategy, China coerces American companies to transfer their technology and IP to domestic Chinese corporations.
This has “the effect of undermining US innovation and economic leadership,” the letter said.
One Chinese company which has been the centre of such allegations, and is also named in the letter is Huawei. The senators said Huawei is “thought to be influenced by the CCP and presents clear risks to US national security”.
Huawei was also the top filer of international patent applications at WIPO in 2018.
Earlier this year, the US added Huawei to a blacklist amid the ongoing trade row between the US and China, as reported by WIPR.
China-based Huawei’s inclusion on the list means that it cannot acquire components and technology from US firms without obtaining a licence from the US government.
News of the ban came shortly after the US Department of Justice filed 23 criminal charges against Huawei, including allegations that it operated a rewards system for employers to incentivise the theft of trade secrets.
“The US government has determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that Huawei has been involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the US,” said the document announcing Huawei’s addition to the list.
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